Nepal is growing in popularity as a tourist destination due to its rich cultural heritage and natural attractions. Tourism has tremen-dous potential to promote economic growth and alleviate poverty in Nepal, especially if it is community-based. A few projects based on the community model already exist; they need to be replicated in other villages. Appropriate infrastructure development, research partnerships between practitioners and academics using a transdisciplinary approach, and local-context-specific codes of conduct are required for community-based sustainable tourism to achieve its potential.

Policy messagen A broad shift from

mainstream conventional tourism to community-based rural tourism with local participation and ownership is crucial to fulfil Nepal’s tourism potential.

n Reliable infrastructure, trained human resources and enhanced absorptive capacity are prerequisites for sustainable tourism.

n Applying a code of conduct in tourism practice is vital to make tourism responsible and peace-promoting.

n More research and exchange among academics, practitioners, and local communities would result in mutual learning and concerted actions for sustainable tourism policy and practice.

Tourism as a means of economic growth

Tourism is the largest industry in Nepal. According to the Nepal Tourism Board, gross foreign currency earning from tourism in 2009 was almost USD 377 million, 7.2% more than that in the previous year (MoTCA 2010). It provides 200,000 direct and 1.2 million indirect jobs, and has signifi-cant multiplier effects.

The Maoist-led armed conflict (1996-2006) had only minor effects up to 1999 because the insurgency was then largely confined to the western parts of Nepal. The Visit Nepal Year cam-paign in 1998 also boosted visitor numbers. But the royal massacre in June 2000, which coincided with the intensification of the insurgency,

caused a rapid decline in tourist arrivals. This decline recovered only after the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the Maoists and the government in November 2006 (Figure 1). Since then, the number of visitors has continued to rebound, albeit with fluctuations, as the armed conflict has ended and new hopes of peace emerge. But tourism cannot sustain its growth if other sectors are weak and the overall socio-political environment is unsupportive.

Need for a shift to community-based tourism

Tourism will be sustainable only if local people benefit from it. This can be achieved by promoting community-based tourism that allows local ownership. For this to work, local

Community-based and peace sensitive tourism: Fulfilling Nepal’s potential

Regional edition South Asia No. 3/January 2011

evidence for policyevidence for policy

South Asia

Case studies featured here were conducted in Nepal.

Mt. Fishtail as seen from Machhapuchhre Model Trek.Photo: Basanta Dawadi/TAAN Western Chapter

Featured Case Study

The Machhapuchhre Model Trek

The Annapurna Conservation Area around Mt Machhapuchhre (“Fishtail”) in mid-western Nepal is the country’s one of the most popular tourist attractions. However, the popular Annapurna Circuit route is almost saturated and is restricted to a fixed number of tourists.

Together with various partners, NCCR North-South has developed an alternative route in the Annapurna area through an initiative known as the “Machhapuchhre Model Trek”. This new tourist attraction has three distinctive features:

• Trekwithcampsitesandsupport-ers’ (porters’) shelters along the route.

• Homestayprovisionswheretourists can enjoy local hospitality in seven villages along the route.

• Commonlyagreedcodeofconductto ascertain sustainability and peace.

The project has enhanced the knowl-edge, skills, and capacity of local people by training local women in culinary and hospitality skills.

The first trekkers walked the route in December 2009, and tourism activities have subsequently increased, boosting local people’s confidence in communi-ty-based rural tourism.

This initiative offers an example of effective collaboration among re-searchers, private sector and local people, and it can be replicated in other areas.

participation in planning, decision making and control mechanisms are necessary, local people need to be trained, and local institutions be developed to provide them with support. The Machhapuchhre Model Trek, an alternative trekking route developed in the Annapurna region, is a good example of such an approach (see case study). It is often the micro- and small-scale enterprises that sustain the local economy in remote places. Creating economic opportuni-ties in tourism for such enterprises would boost local investment and build capacity there. They would benefit many aspects of the local economy: food producers, transport operators, guides, retailers, restau-rants, guesthouses, handicraft makers, and so on.

It is equally important to increase the absorptive capacity of the local economy so the community can benefit from tourist spending. To do this, promoting private investment should go hand in hand with expand-ing the reach of the benefits. Informa-tion on tourist arrivals and their preferences should be provided to local stakeholders so that they can benefit more from the tourists’ spending.

Strengthening tourism infrastruc-ture

There is an urgent need to develop new trekking and hiking trails in Nepal. Many existing trails are well known and are already saturated. But numerous routes remain unexplored and undeveloped; they have the potential to lure in both first-time and repeat visitors.

Easy surface access to connect tourists to villages in remote mountainous areas is equally vital. Strong airlines are the backbone of a strong tourist

destination. The continuing weak performance of the national flag carrier, the Nepal Airlines Corporation, has been very damaging to Nepal’s national image. Its failure to perform efficiently and reliably impacts negatively on the whole tourism industry. It must be restructured and overhauled if Nepal is to boost its image.

Tourism code of conduct to promote peace

Nepal has recently emerged from a decade-long armed conflict which severely affected the tourism sector. It is vital to the sector as a whole that everyone concerned, from local people to the tourists themselves, follow and respect a code of conduct to maintain harmony and promote peace while sustaining the industry. Such a code of conduct was formulated after intense debates and discussions among all the stakeholders during the NCCR North-South-supported project “Developing a community-based tourism model in Kaski district in western Nepal”. This code of conduct covers five main aspects of tourism: planning and management, socio-culture, economy, environment, and safety and security of tourists (Upadhayaya and Upreti 2009). Neglecting such issues could trigger renewed conflict and jeopard-ise the whole industry. Such a code of conduct should be spread more widely, agreed at a national level, and promoted throughout the country. NCCR North-South has been promoting this issue with concerned stakeholders at both local and national levels.

Education, research and linkages with practice

Tourism is a business, so it attracts those interested in its commercial value. But this brings with it a risk of over-exploitation, deterring those possible visitors whom Nepal wishes to attract. So, tourism is too important to be left to commercial interests alone.

Given the importance of tourism to Nepal, greater emphasis is needed on both research and education. A sufficient number of qualified re-searchers are essential to plan tourism enterprises at local and national levels and to develop information to guide policymakers. Tourism education must be strengthened and interlinked with the tourism industry to ensure that the

Source: MoTCA (2010)

industry is sustainable. Tourism education covers aspects such as culture, history, environment, and conservation that are intrinsically related to tourism. Shortcomings in such areas could disappoint tourists and damage local tour operators, employment, and foreign exchange earnings. Such harmful impacts are already visible in some areas which have neglected the conservation of Ne-pal’s cultural heritage and local development. Improved tourism education would help avoid such problems.

Definitions

Peace-sensitive code of conduct: Peace-sensitive code of conduct is policies, strategic actions, and adaptations related to the tourism sector that minimise the negative effects of conflict and promote peace. Peace-sensitive code of conduct benefits the local people by promoting, protecting and sustaining the value of peace and harmony in a responsible approach.

Community-based rural tourism: Community-based rural tourism is a tourism industry that is managed and owned by the community with the purpose of enabling visitors to increase their awareness and learn about the community and local ways of life (Pandey 2008). It does not simply aim at maximising profits for investors; it emerges from a community development strategy that uses tourism to strengthen rural community organisations that manage tourism resources with the participation of local people. It empowers local people to make decisions on tourism development that benefits the wider community.

Machhapuchhre Model Trek Infrastructures handover to Machhapuchhre Tourism Development Committee jointly by State Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation (Hon. Shatrudhn Prasad

Sinha), Swiss Ambassador to Nepal (H.E. Thomas Gass) amidst a mega programme on 10 Dec 2010 in Kharpani, Kaski.

Photo: SAs RCO

Brochure with map of the Machhapuchhre Model Trek.

Local people showing their cultural dance to the tourists in Machhapuchhre Model Trek route.Photo: Bishnu Raj Upreti

evidence for policy

evidence for policy provides research highlights from the NCCR North-South on important development issues. The policy brief series offers information on topics such as governance, conflict, livelihoods, globalisation, sanitation, health, natural resources, and sustainability in an accessible way. evidence for policy and further research information are available at www.north-south.unibe.ch.

Sagar Raj Sharma, PhD Coordinator

Human and Natural Resources Studies Centre-KUsagar@ku.edu.np

Bishnu Raj Upreti, PhD South Asia Regional Coordinator

NCCR North-South bupreti@nccr.wlink.com.np

Pranil UpadhayayaPhD Student

Human and Natural Resources Studies Centre-KU

pranilupadhayaya@yahoo.com

Further reading

MoTCA [Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation]. 2010. Nepal Tourism Statistics 2009. Kathmandu: MoTCA.

Pandey RJ. 2008. What should we do to prac-tice community-based pro-poor tourism: Lessons to be learned from TRPAP. In: Sharma P, editor. Vision and Mission of Village Tourism. Kathmandu: Village Tourism Promotion Forum, Nepal, pp 32–38.

Upadhayaya PK; Sharma SR. 2010. Sustainable tourism and post-conflict state building. In: Upreti BR, Sharma SR, Pyakuryal KN, Ghimire S, editors. The Remake of a State: Post Conflict Challenges and State Building in Nepal. Kathmandu: South Asia Regional

Coordination Office of Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research North-South and Human and Natural Resources Studies Centre, Kathmandu University, pp 87–109.

Upadhayaya PK; Upreti BR. 2009. Application of conflict sensitive code of conducts at Machhapuchhre Model Trek: Obligations and challenges. National conference on exploring alternative trekking routes for peace and prosperity: An experi-ence of Machhapuchhre Model Trek route in Kaski district in western Nepal, 14 Dec 2009. Kathmandu: TAAN, NCCR North-South and NTB.

The National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) North-South is a worldwide research net work including seven partner institutions in Switzerland and some 160 universities, research institutions, and development organi sations in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe. Approxi-mately 350 researchers worldwide contribute to the activities of the NCCR North-South.

Regional Coordination OfficeBishnu Raj Upreti, PhDNCCR North-SouthEkantakuna, Kathmandu NepalGPO Box: 910, kathmandubupreti@nccr.wlink.com.npwww.nccr-nepal.org

This issueAcademic adviser: Editor: Series editor: Bishnu Raj Upreti Design: Simone Kummer and Siddhi ManandharPrinted at Heidel Press.

Policy implications of NCCR North-South research

Community-based rural tourism

Local communities and regional policymakers have realised the importance of community-based rural tourism from the experience of the Machhapuchhre Model Trek route, a newly opened community-based tourism route linked with the ongoing NCCR North-South research on tourism, conflict, and peace. Such consultations should be continued at national level to enhance the local owner-ship of community-based rural tourism and to make tourism sustainable.

Building reliable infrastructure

New trekking routes should be developed to increase the reach of tourism to less-explored areas, and surface access should be improved to connect tourists to remote areas. The national airline should be restructured, and more human resources should be trained for the tourism sector.

Code of conduct to promote peace in tourism

A code of conduct composed of voluntary and self-regulatory rules, commit-ments, and core values of tourism has helped build awareness and realise its essence for the sustainability of rural tourism. Lessons from the Machhapuchhre Model Trek route can be used to formulate a manual for such a code of conduct for local areas as well as at the national level. This would promote a positive environment to prevent and mitigate unwarranted conflicts resulting from irresponsible tourism conducts.

Citation: Sharma SR; Upreti BR; Upadhayaya PK. 2010. Community-based and peace sensitive tourism: Fulfilling Nepal’s potential. Evidence for Policy Series, Regional edition South Asia, No. 3, ed. Bishnu Raj Upreti. Kathmandu : NCCR North-South.

The NCCR North-South is co-financed by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the participating institutions. The views expressed in evidence for policy do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or other institutions.